PHILIPPINE National Police chief, General Camilo Pancratius P. Cascolan yesterday announced the filing of administrative charges against nine Jolo, Sulu policemen accused of killing four Army soldiers last June.
In a press conference at Camp Crame, the top cop said the administrative charges were filed against the nine by the PNP Internal Affairs Service.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also filed charges for multiple murder against the nine identified as Police Senior Master Sergeant Abdelzhimar Padjiri, Police Master Sgt. Hannie Baddiri, Staff Sergeants Iskandar Susulan and Erniskar Sappal, Corporal Sulki Andaki and Patrolman Moh Nur Pasani, all members of the Jolo Municipal Police Station and Staff Sgt. Almudzrin Hadjaruddin and Patrolmen Alkajal Mandangan and Rajiv Putalan, all members of the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Sulu Police Provincial Office.
“The PNP Internal Affairs Service has formally filed administrative cases against the nine PNP personnel who are respondents in a criminal case for murder and planting of evidence filed by the NBI before the DOJ connection with the death of four Philippine Army personnel in Jolo, Sulu last June 29, 2020,” said Gen. Cascolan.
The PNP chief said that summons were served last week to the nine respondents who are presently under restrictive custody of the PNP Headquarters Support Service in Camp Crame.
“Because they are under restrictive custody, these personnel are readily available to face investigation by the panel of Summary Hearing Officers who will determine probable cause to take further administrative action against them,” he added.
Gen. Cascolan also said that the PNP-IAS also filed an administrative case for gross neglect of duty under the doctrine of command responsibility against Sulu PPO director, Lieutenant Col. Micahel Bawayan Jr, Jolo MPS chief, Major Walter Annayo and Sulu PPO Drug Enforcement Unit chief, Captain Ariel Corcino.
“I am giving the Internal Affairs Service the freehand in exercising its mandate to determine the administrative liability of these personnel and to impose the appropriate penalty as prescribed under PNP regulations. Let me assure that these personnel will be afforded due process throughout the course of the entire investigation,” he said.
“Yung three immediate officers will also be called here. I believe they’re already en route to Crame,” Gen. Cascolan said while adding that the three will be relieved from their posts pending their investigation.
The NBI filed criminal charges against the nine policemen who were accused of killing four Army intelligence operatives on the trail of a suspected Abu Sayyaf suicide bomber.
Killed in the incident were Major Marvin Indammog, Captain Irwin Managuelod, Sergeant Jaime Velasco Jr., and Corporal Abdal Asula, all said to be members of the Joint Intelligence Task Group and the Task Force Sulu ordered by the Armed Forces to locate two female suicide bombers and the maker of their suicide vests.
An investigation by the NBI showed that the police officers simultaneously attacked the Army intelligence officers without “the opportunity to defend themselves.”
